Jogging 4 Journals Campaign 2016 (and more)

In 2016, I really want my thoughts, words, and actions to be that of helping people with mental illness.  I have lived most of my life with mental illness, and it is only in the last couple of years that I have begun living well with it.  My goal in 2016 is to help others live well, too.  I believe that the best way to do that is by focusing on these three avenues.

1. Jogging 4 Journals.  Beginning on New Year's Day, I will be running one 5k every month for a campaign that I am calling Jogging 4 Journals.  With each race that I run, I will be asking friends, family, and anyone else who desires to help those with mental illness to donate whatever they can to my campaign.  With the money I receive, I will be buying journals and a label (to write a loving message on and place inside the journal) and gifting them to patients at my local hospital's inpatient Mental Health Unit. I chose a journal because, when dealing with a mental illness, it is usually helpful to write down your thoughts and feelings, any treatment that you feel is working or needs to be changed, and anything you need to remember.  I also chose a journal because it is an inexpensive, yet helpful and practical gift. 

1 journal: $.52 - $.79

1 label: $.10

Helping a person with a mental illness feel better about being hospitalized: PRICELESS!!

My goal is to gift 30 journals a month, since there are 30 beds on the unit.  Since it costs less than $1 to gift one journal, if I get $30 in donations every month, I will meet my goal!  

To help, please consider donating to Jogging 4 Journals, and/ or joining me by running with me or on your own for those struggling with mental illness. My donation page is www.gofundme.com/jogging4journals (at the end of this post, there is a "clickable" link to the fundraising page). 

2. In Our Own Voice presentations.  I have been working with NAMI Baltimore for over two years now, off and on, doing In Our Own Voice presentations.  In 2016, I will be giving several each month to patients at my local hospital's inpatient Mental Health Unit, where I will also be gifting the journals.  An In Our Own Voice presentation is when another presenter and I show a DVD about people who live well with their illnesses, and talk about how we live well with ours.  Each presentation is made up of five parts, and we are trained in how to effectively share our story.  There is an opportunity to ask questions after every part.  Once a month, I will be giving a presentation and then handing out the journals to the patients.

3.  Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).  In 2016, I will be taking three MHFA classes, Senior, Youth, and Adult.  Each class is eight hours long and each will teach me many different skills for helping people with mental illness who are in crisis.  I will learn the warning signs of addiction and mental illness, a 5-step action plan to assess a situation and help, the impact of mental illness, and resources that can help someone in a mental health crisis.  I will be trained to help anyone with a mental illness.

I'm really excited to be able to help all kinds of people with mental illness in 2016!  It is my true passion in life!

www.gofundme.com/jogging4journals